Saturday, February 15, 2014

I sort of miss teaching. No, I don't miss the silly bureaucracy; I miss hanging out with kids. I don't miss legislators or "experts" who have never tried to teach a class of 30 individuals telling me how to do things. I miss the excitement students feel when they realize they've mastered a tough skill. I miss the enthusiasm that circulates the room when we reach the climax of a terrific novel.

Then I remember that things have changed in the last decade or two. Reading for pleasure has taken a back seat to television, video games, and Youtube. Vocabularies have declined, attention spans have shrunk, respect for teaching has nearly disappeared. Maybe I'm glad I'm not still in the classroom.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

I'm certain that I've chuckled at a number of plates that I've forgotten, but I made some notes--written and verbal--to help me remember. People are creative and I, for one, am glad that they share with me.

A well-used, small, blue pickup truck's plate said ZOMBKLR. Good to know.

A creamy, yellow crossover was SUN E 1. Could be a comment on attitude.

Another attitude was likely showing on a little gray crossover. It was an ESCP POD.

Most license plates definitely refer to the owner. Like the big SUV that said BRWNSGR. The vehicle was white.

A sporty, red car was flaunting a BASGUTR.

A PT Cruiser had a friendly TOODALU.

Then there are the plates that obviously came from nicknames. SWEEDEE, WEEZER, BBO, and--my favorite--WYADURP.

My hubby and I laughed at the creativity of the plate we saw while traveling. When asked for a plate number, the driver could honestly say, NONE.

Monday, November 11, 2013

I was visiting with a much-younger woman this morning and she agrees with me: today's young people are dreadfully short on language skills. Naturally, there are a few exceptions, but television, video games, computers, and smart phones have replaced reading and conversation. It should not be a surprise. And look at what kids today see and hear. I've posted about the disappearance of adverbs and the "verbing" of nouns, but these commercials cannot really be explained by any language rules.

T.J. Maxx wants to know, "What's your HomeGoods happy?" Does this make any kind of sense?

How about the Guilted Bear (maybe just a regional store) that says we should "Shop local and shop unique." Exactly how does one shop unique? Can we shop purple? Or shop wild?

Chex Mix wants you to try a "bag of interesting." Is that like a bag of hairy? Same kind of word.

Fabreze makes it so you can "breathe happy." Personally, I'm always happy to breathe, but the other way around?

Those are just the one-liners some advertising agencies thought up, but sometimes even the sentences used are crazy. The only one I wrote down after I'd heard it a few times is for an over-the-counter medication. "Nothing relieves nasal congestion faster or stronger..." Can something relieve nasal congestion stronger? Not the kind of sentence one uses in an SAT essay.

When kids listen to stuff like this for hours a day, it's no wonder they are not sure how to use the English language.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Sometimes I see funnies or hear comments that make me feel like I'm not alone. I'm not the only one whose mind seems to take strange detours. Apparently there are more of us.

Wait a minute. If there are too many of us, how will we ever get anything accomplished? We must hope there are adequate numbers of youthful, efficient brains to counteract our need to retrace steps to remember what we were going to do.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

I think I mentioned this in another post (as a kind of afterthought), but this comic hit home. I have noticed the lack of care in making sure the audience can hear what is being said on television shows and in movies. I have often had to back up (thank goodness for DVRs) and turn up the volume to try and understand what a character is saying. Then, I have to be certain to adjust the sound for any "action" or commercials that follow. It is pretty annoying.

About Me

Taught for 28 years. Although I taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, 6th was my favorite and I spent 18 years working with 11 and 12-year-olds.
For almost 8 years before that, I worked as an office manager for a college Dean and Professor who was one of the most intelligent men I've ever met. Good, thoughtful people are everywhere and sometimes ideas and information need to be shared.